Interrogate-response communication system with privacy indication

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for obtaining information about a product or service offering having an associated receiver responsive to an information request or query. The method comprise providing a portable subscriber device linked with a communication network, presenting at least one selectable query for information to a subscriber via the subscriber device, selecting the at least one query for information, providing a desired privacy status of the subscriber utilizing the subscriber device, transmitting the query and the privacy status and, at the associated receiver, processing the privacy status and responding to the query by providing the requested information to the subscriber. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

[0001] The present invention relates to an interrogation-response methodor system that enables a user to obtain requested information about aproduct or service offering. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to such a method or system that permits a user to maintainprivacy or anonymity when requesting automatically delivered informationdelivery concerning a product or service.

[0002] Conventional interrogate-response systems that automaticallyprovide product or service information to a potential customer aredesigned primarily for the benefit of the business establishments. It isa common goal to obtain as much information about the customer aspossible, such as identity, address, email, etc., so that theestablishment may develop “profiles” to better target potential buyerswith unsolicited promotions or advertising. The individual customer, onthe other hand, may not desire such intrusion and often weighs whethermaking the initial request for information is worth the inconvenience.

[0003] One such interrogate-response system is described in U.S. Pat.No. 6,327,570 issued to Stevens and entitled “Personal Business ServiceSystem and Method,” which describes a private communication network toconnect business establishments with participating customers. Theprivate network includes master control points that communicate andcoordinate the transfer of information between microchip-tagged productsto potential customers, who are provided with a wireless communicatorupon entry of the establishment. In an illustrated example, the customerobtains the wireless agent upon entry of a shopping mall and enterspersonal information, such as identity, email address, and the like. Thewireless agent displays to the customer or communicates via variedcommunication means certain sales, promotions, and requested product orservice information as the customer passes near the product or service.Personal information about the customer, however, is subsequentlytransferred to mall retailers as the customer requests information aboutperused products and services. Much to the dismay of the customer, he orshe may become the subject of unsolicited and unwanted promotion andadvertising.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there isprovided a method of obtaining information about a product or serviceoffering having an associated receiver responsive to an informationrequest comprising the steps of providing a portable subscriber devicelinked with a communication network, presenting at least one selectablequery for information to a subscriber via the subscriber device,selecting the at least one query for information, providing a desiredprivacy status of the subscriber utilizing the subscriber device,transmitting the query and the privacy status and, at the associatedreceiver, processing the privacy status and responding to the query byproviding the requested information to the subscriber.

[0005] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatusto enable a user to interrogate a product or service offering concerningdesired information comprise (a) a portable user device including (i) ananonymity register to store at least an affirmative and negative privacyindication indicative of whether the user desires to remain anonymous,(ii) a query selector to select at least one query for requestedinformation, (iii) a destination register to identify a destination toreceive the requested information, and (iv) a user transmitter totransmit the privacy indication, query, and the destination; and (b) awireless receiver associated with at least one product or serviceoffering wherein the receiver includes a controller to effectuate atransmission of the requested information to the destination in responseto the query and to store or discard the destination information inaccordance with the privacy indication.

[0006] Other aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reviewof the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. The invention, though, is pointed out with particularity bythe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 depicts a simplified flow chart illustrating a methodembodiment of the invention.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a system diagram illustration various inventive parts ofthe invention in apparatus form.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The present invention overcomes certain drawback of priorsystems, in part, (i) by enabling a user to initiate a request or queryfor product or service information, rather than supplying suchinformation without request, (ii) by enabling a user to select whichaspect of information is desired, and (iii) importantly, by enabling theuser to advise of anonymity in making the request. Preferably, theinterrogate-response method and system of the present invention operateswith a cellular telephone network where the user uses, e.g., aims orpoints, his or her cell phone as a personal communication device tocommunicate directly with a product microchip or responder associatedwith the product or service. Alternatively, the user's transmission orquery may trigger the transmission of return information via the networkprovided by the cellular carrier. Applications include use in retailestablishments that sell merchandise, provide restaurant services, orother business establishments.

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a method 10 of obtaining in real time certaininformation about a product or service offering having an associatedreceiver, e.g., a microchip controller or transponder that responds to asignal transmitted by the customer's cellular telephone. The methodincludes a step 12 of presenting at least one query for product orservice information to the cellular subscriber via his cell phone.Product or service information may include specifications, options,pricing, terms, or any other information the merchant desires tocommunicate to the subscriber. The display module of the cell phone maybe configured to display standard information in standard format orcategories, of the display unit may be configured to provide acustomized display in accordance with configuration information providedby the product transponder. Preferably, the subscriber obtains therequested information by pointed his cell phone device directly at theproduct or service in order to issue or send the query, in which case,the cell phone may be equipment with an infrared link communicator.Other wireless communication protocols and or frequencies may also beemployed, such as Bluetooth, 802.11, or other line of sight or shortrange communication.

[0011] After being presented with a query, the subscriber selects atstep 14 one or more of the categories of information desired. Accordingto an important aspect of the invention, the cell phone or othercommunicating device is provided with an anonymity switch or register orthe like to enable the subscriber to set at step 16 a privacy statusprior to issuing the information request. Such anonymity register mayinclude buffer that temporarily stores the privacy status prior totransmission. When the subscriber at step 1 transmits 8 the query to aresponder module of the product or service offering (i.e., a displaypanel) that has a receiver or transponder, the transmission includes acompact customer profile including such information as a destination orreply address, the category(s) of information desired, and a privacystatus indication. Upon receipt of the transmission, processing occursat step 20. During processing, the requested information is sent at step22 to the destination or reply address provided by the subscriber duringthe query transmission. The destination may include a reply emailaddress, telephone number, street address, etc. Preferably encryptedreturn information is provided which may include a hypertext webdocument in SMS, multimedia, html or xml format, which may be suppliedover a packet data network.

[0012] In addition, the transmitted privacy status is examined todetermine whether to maintain subscriber identity information inconfidence or for subsequent use, and/or whether to use the compactprofile information only once and to discard that information afterfulfillment of the subscriber's request. Subscriber identity informationmay include any attribute of the subscriber, including a name, returnemail address, the transmitted destination address, etc. Processing mayinclude suppressing at least a portion of subscriber information inresponse to an affirmative privacy indication of said privacy status oracquiring/storing subscriber information in response to a negativeprivacy indication of said privacy status. This way, the subscriber maychoose whether to prevent subsequent use or sale of his profile orshopping habits to other business establishments.

[0013]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary apparatus 30 that implementscertain aspects of the invention. The apparatus 30 enable a user 32 tointerrogate a product or service offering having associated receivers34, 36, or 38 concerning selected information desired by user 32. Asearlier indicated, the receivers may comprise transponders, RF orinfrared receivers, or other communication devices that receiveinformation requests or queries from a subscriber or user 32.

[0014] To issue query, the user employs a portable user device 40having, in the illustrated embodiment, an RF antenna that transmitsinformation and control signals to receivers or responders 34, 36, and38 associated with various products or services. Device 40 preferablyhas an anonymity register, switch, or buffer to store at least anaffirmative and a negative privacy indication of privacy indicative ofwhether the subscriber 32 desires to remain anonymous when making his orher query. Communication device 40 also includes an information selectorto select an item or category of requested information. When using acell phone as a communication device 40, selection may be accomplishedby depressing certain keypad buttons while the LCD display modulethereof presents selectable options to user 32. Device 40 may alsocomprise a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), portable handset, orother wireless device. Categories of requested information may includeprice, a restaurant menu, special sales, coupons, productspecifications, product attributes, etc.

[0015] Device 40 also includes a destination register that identifies adestination or reply address of user 32 that is to receive the requestedinformation. The destination address may target the cell phone itself sothat the display module thereof captures (e.g., through the telephonenetwork) and displays the requested product or service information, ormay target the user's email address or voice mail mailbox. Informationmay be sent in xtml, xml, or other digital formation suitable fornetwork transmission. Preferably, the return information is sentdirectly to the user's communication device 40 from a transceiver ofproducts 34, 36, or 38 via a standard information transfer protocol,such as 802.11 or Bluetooth. The wireless receivers 34, 36, and 38associated products or service offerings includes a controller toeffectuate a transmission of said requested information to a destinationin response to the user's information request. The processor may alsostore or discard said destination information in accordance with theuser's transmitted privacy indication

[0016] Alternatively, upon receipt of the information request, themodules 34, 36, and 38 may communicate with a local server 42 via anassociated wireless modem 44. Once captured by server 42, theinformation may be alternatively processed at the server, which sends aresponse via network 46 to the destination address provided by user 32.If user 32 specifies a cell phone telephone number, the network forwardsthat information to the hand-held communication device 40 via aconventional cellular base station 48, which maintains direct contactwith communication device 40. If user 32 specifies an email address asthe destination, the network 46 forwards the requested information to anemail mailbox. As a practical matter, server 42 may effectuate theforwarding of requested information by virtually any conventionalinformation transfer means.

[0017] In the preferred embodiment, communication device 40 includes ananonymity register or switch that is settable by user 32 prior toissuing or query or an information request to indicate an affirmative ornegative condition, and the controller responds to that condition todiscard user information after a single use in response to anaffirmative status and to effect capturing of user information inresponse to a negative status indication. In addition, the device 40includes an acknowledgment register that indicates successful receipt ofthe information request by the module 34, 36, or 38. This enables theuser 32 to retry if a transmission request was unsuccessful.

[0018] Based on the teachings herein, it is evident that variations andchanges may be made to the illustrated and described embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is theinventor's intent that all such variations and changes be embraced bythe appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A method of obtaining information about a product or serviceoffering having an associated receiver responsive to an informationrequest, said method comprising: providing a portable subscriber devicelinked with a communication network, presenting at least one selectablequery for information to a subscriber via said subscriber device,selecting said at least one query for information, providing a desiredprivacy status of the subscriber utilizing said subscriber device,transmitting the query and the privacy status, and at the associatedreceiver, processing said privacy status and responding to said query byproviding said information to said subscriber.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein said transmitting step includes transmitting a reply addressthat is used in the processing step to provide said information to saidsubscriber.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said subscriber terminalcomprises a cellular telephone linked with a cellular telephone network.4. The method of claim 3, wherein said processing step further includeseffectuating a transmission of said information to said subscriber inthe form of hypertext language.
 5. The method of claim 4, furthercomprising effectuating said transmission via a packet data network viaone of email, html, and xml.
 6. The method of claim 2, wherein saidprocessing step further includes suppressing at least a portion ofsubscriber information in response to an affirmative privacy indicationof said privacy status.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein saidsuppressing step includes discarding said reply address.
 8. The methodof claim 2, wherein said processing step includes acquiring subscriberinformation in response to a negative privacy indication of said privacystatus.
 9. An apparatus to enable a user to interrogate a product orservice offering concerning desired information, said apparatuscomprising: (a) a portable user device including, (i) an anonymityregister to store at least an affirmative and negative privacyindication indicative of whether the user desires to remain anonymous,(ii) a query selector to select at least one query for requestedinformation, (iii) a destination register to identify a destination toreceive the requested information, and (iv) a user transmitter totransmit the privacy indication, query, and said destination; and (b) awireless receiver associated with at least one product or serviceoffering, said receiver including a controller to effectuate atransmission of said requested information to said destination inresponse to said query and to store or discard said destinationinformation in accordance with said privacy indication.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9, wherein said query includes one of price,specifications, product attributes, . . . (need help here).
 11. Theapparatus of claim 9, wherein said anonymity register is settable by theuser prior to issuing an information request to indicate an affirmativeor negative condition, and said controller responds to discard userinformation in response to an affirmative status and to effect capturingof user information in response to a negative status indication, whereinsaid user information includes said destination or other attribute ofthe user.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said user destinationinformation comprises one of a user name, address, an email address, anIP address, a telephone number, and a message box.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein said user device comprises a cellular telephoneoperable in a cellular network.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, whereinsaid controller effectuates a transmission of said requested informationin the form of hypertext language.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein said language is html, java script, xml.
 15. An apparatus toanonymously permit a user to interrogate a product or service offeringabout desired information, said apparatus comprising: (a) a portableuser device including, (i) an anonymity register indicative of a desiredprivacy status of the user, (ii) an information selector that enablesthe user to send a query for at least one item of desired information,(iii) a destination address that identifies a destination to receiverequested information, and (iv) a transmitter to transmit the privacystatus, information request, and said destination address; and (b) awireless receiver associated with at least one product or serviceoffering, said receiver including a controller to effectuate atransmission of said requested information to said destination inresponse to said query and being responsive to said privacy status todiscard user information after one use thereof.
 16. A portablecommunicator for use in an automated interrogate-response system thatanonymously permits a user to obtain desired information about a productof service, said communicator comprising: (i) an anonymity indicatorreflecting a desired privacy status of the user, (ii) a selector thatenables the user to request desired information, (iii) a destinationaddress that identifies a destination to receive requested information,and (iv) a transmitter to transmit the privacy status, informationrequest, and said destination address.
 17. A responder for a product orservice offering for use in an automated interrogate-response system toanonymously permit a user to obtain desired information about a productor service, said responder comprising: a wireless receiver associatedwith at least one product or service offering that includes a controllerto effect a transmission of user-requested information to a destinationaddress in response to a query, said query being transmitted along withsaid address and a customer profile, said profile including a privacyindication so that the controller may respond by discarding userinformation after one use of the profile in accordance with the desireof the user.